The Persistence of Memory, featuring the melting clock
In temporal mechanics, the Dali paradox is a temporal fissure which slows the passage of time to a gradual halt. It is also known as the "melting clock effect." (VOY: "Relativity")
An example of this occurred when the borg temperal sphere, travelled back in time to prevent the launch of the phenix, the ship which initiated first contact between humans and vulcans. This in turn caused the starship Enterprise, under command of captain Picard, to follow and prevent the borg from destroying the ship. As such the borg's attempt to prevent first contact actually caused the enterprise to initiate first contact. (Star Trek First Contact)
A variant of this occurred when, after the USS Enterprise-D attempted to transfer power to a damaged Template:ShipClass Warbird, an opening in the space-time continuum within the Warbird's artificial quantum singularity caused a number of temporal rifts to appear within the vicinity of the two vessels. (TNG: "Timescape")
- This paradox was apparently named after Salvador Dali's famous painting The Persistence of Memory.